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Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Russell Webster, Colin Fearns, Paula Harriott, Lisa Millar, Jardine Simpson, Jason Wallace and Michael Wheatley

The purpose of this paper is to examine lived experiences of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) during and immediately following release from detention in prisons in England and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine lived experiences of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) during and immediately following release from detention in prisons in England and Scotland.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys were completed by serving prisoners in both countries and by those recently released from prison (England only). The survey findings were discussed in focus groups of people with lived experience. The combined findings from the surveys and focus groups were shared with an expert group of prison OAT providers and people with lived experience with the purpose of making recommendations for more accessible and effective OAT in custodial environments and continuity of OAT on release

Findings

The quality and accessibility of OAT varied considerably between establishments. It was reported to be harder to access OAT in Scottish prisons. It was often hard for people in prison to get the dosage of OAT they felt they needed and it was generally harder to access buprenorphine than methadone in English prisons. Only Scottish people in prison were aware of long-lasting forms of buprenorphine. People in English prisons had mixed experiences of the help available in prison, with no improvement recorded since a 2016 study. People in Scottish prisons were more likely to rate the help available as poor.

Research limitations/implications

The number of people accessed while actually in prison (73) was reduced by the impact of the pandemic, making it more difficult to access people in prison and because some were resistant to participating on the basis that they had already been consulted for a wide variety of research projects focused on the impact of COVID. The Scottish cohort (a total of 19 individuals comprising 14 survey respondents and five focus group members) is clearly too small a number on which to base robust claims about differences in OAT provision between the English and Scottish prison systems..

Practical implications

The study identifies key barriers to accessing OAT in prisons and suggests key components of more user-friendly approaches.

Social implications

This study provides an overview of the recent lived experiences of people accessing OAT in prison and on release and offers valuable recommendations on how to make service provision more effective and consistent.

Originality/value

This study provides an overview of the recent lived experiences of people accessing OAT in prison and on release in England and Scotland and offers valuable recommendations on how to make service provision more effective and consistent.

Details

International Journal of Prison Health, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2977-0254

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Irfan Ahmad, Umar Safdar, Akram Somroo, Ali Raza Qureshi and Abdul Khaliq Alvi

This research is designed to explore the relationship between social media addiction, student engagement and student retention. Social media addiction is dealt with as an…

Abstract

Purpose

This research is designed to explore the relationship between social media addiction, student engagement and student retention. Social media addiction is dealt with as an independent variable student engagement acts as a mediating variable and student retention as a dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a cross-sectional and quantitative research. Primary data are collected from 600 respondents (university students) with the help of a structured questionnaire. Multistage sampling techniques, i.e. simple random sampling and judgment sampling, are used for the selection of respondents.

Findings

Results indicate that for direct relationships, social media addiction has a significant positive impact on student engagement and student retention, respectively, while student engagement is partially mediating the relationship between social media addiction with student retention.

Research limitations/implications

In the future, these kinds of research may also be conducted on students of different universities in Pakistan, which are located in other cities of Pakistan besides Lahore. This research provides a practical framework for the higher authorities of the universities of Pakistan and explains how the use of media positively fosters the levels of student retention directly and indirectly through the path of student engagement. It is commonly believed that media addiction is bad but the result of this research indicates that anything is not dangerous but depends upon its use, media addiction itself is not bad but if someone uses this for a good purpose in limitation then it has better outcomes. The result indicates that the media addiction of students has a positive impact on student retention. This means that if someone uses media for a positive purpose then he/she will use it as a supporting tool for success. Longitudinal research on these variables will also help to check the status after a specific interval of time.

Practical implications

The current study will help the practitioners or policymakers (Managers) of higher education institutions by providing practical insights into the positive use of media by students for increasing their knowledge and grades. This research can also help practitioners or policymakers to focus their students on the positive use of social media for fostering the levels of student retention.

Originality/value

To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no previous study has been done to incorporate social media addiction and student engagement in a single model in the Pakistani cultural context. Similarly, the relationship of variables social media addiction with student engagement is rarely checked empirically because the research of Wang et al. (2011) proposed that social media addiction has a relationship with student engagement so that is why this is the rationale of the research is to check this empirically. Moreover, this study is an initial effort to check the mediating effect of student engagement in the relationship between social media addiction and student retention. This research is also proposing the framework of social media addiction, student engagement and student retention based on the social exchange theory (SET).

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1026-4116

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2024

Hamed Qahri-Saremi, Isaac Vaghefi and Ofir Turel

We build on the transactional model of stress and coping and the appraisal theory of emotions to theorize how users cognitively and emotionally cope with IT addiction-induced…

Abstract

Purpose

We build on the transactional model of stress and coping and the appraisal theory of emotions to theorize how users cognitively and emotionally cope with IT addiction-induced stress, distinguish between the roles of guilt and shame in shaping the coping responses and their effects on one’s psychological well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

We test our theory via two complementary empirical studies in the context of social networking sites (SNS). Study 1 (n = 462) adopts a variable-centered approach using structural equation modeling to validate the research model. Study 2 (n = 409) uses Latent Profile Analysis to identify a typology of SNS users based on Study 1’s findings.

Findings

This paper provides a model of guilt-vs shame-driven cognitive-emotional coping with IT addiction and its effects on users’ psychological well-being. It also offers a typology of SNS users on this basis.

Originality/value

This paper sheds light on guilt-vs shame-driven coping with IT addiction and its consequences on users’ psychological well-being and identifies distinct classes of users based on their coping choices and their consequences.

Details

Internet Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Maria Regina Hechanova, Mariel Rizza C. Tee, Trixia Anne C. Co and Benjamin Ryan M. Rañeses III

Women are exposed to vulnerabilities that can lead to drug use or hinder recovery. However, there is a dearth of studies on recovery programs for women. This study aims to add to…

Abstract

Purpose

Women are exposed to vulnerabilities that can lead to drug use or hinder recovery. However, there is a dearth of studies on recovery programs for women. This study aims to add to the literature by examining the feasibility of a women-only aftercare program for recovering users in the Philippines.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a mixed-method design with pre and post-program surveys used to measure changes in participants’ recovery capital. Focused group discussions elicited participants’ context, their reactions, perceived outcomes and suggestions on the program.

Findings

Women in the program shared narratives of pain, trauma and abuse before treatment. Participants reported significant improvements in personal, community and family recovery capital dimensions. The program enabled personal growth in the form of new knowledge, skills and self-confidence. The women-only program also provided a safe space for women, to receive support from other women, community members and family. However, the women continue to face continuing challenges related to stigma and discrimination and a lack of livelihood opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the study was its small sample size and the lack of a control group. Another limitation was the variability in treatment received by the women, which could have affected overall outcomes. Future studies using a randomized control trial and longitudinal designs may provide more robust conclusions on the effectiveness of the program.

Practical implications

Given punitive contexts, gender-sensitive and trauma-informed programs and services for women involved in drug use could potentially mitigate the abuse, stigma and vulnerabilities they experience.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the sparse literature on women-only aftercare, particularly in countries that criminalize drug use.

Details

International Journal of Prison Health, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2977-0254

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 April 2024

Diane Crocker and Erin Dej

This study aims to explore the gendered nature of housing insecurity by investigating how gender affects women’s experience moving from transitional to market housing. By…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the gendered nature of housing insecurity by investigating how gender affects women’s experience moving from transitional to market housing. By describing women’s pathways out of supportive or transitional housing support, the authors show how patriarchal forces in housing policies and practices affect women’s efforts to find secure housing. The authors argue that gender-neutral approaches to housing will fail to meet women’s needs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study explores the narratives from women accessing support services in Halifax, Canada. The first author conducted deep narrative interviews with women seeking to move from transition to market housing.

Findings

This research sheds light on the effects of gendered barriers to safe, suitable and affordable housing; how women’s experiences and expectations are shaped by these barriers; and, how housing-based supports must address the uniquely gendered experiences women face as they access market housing. In addition, this research reveals the importance of gender-responsive services that empower women facing a sexist housing market.

Originality/value

Little research has explored questions related to gender and housing among those seeking to move from transitional to marker housing, and existing research focuses on women’s housing insecurity as it relates to domestic violence. The sample of women included those having housing insecurity for a variety of reasons, including substance use and young motherhood.

Details

Housing, Care and Support, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-8790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2023

Justin Paul, Parul Manchanda, Nupur Arora and Aanchal Aggarwal

Smartphones have become a vital element of daily life and because of this ongoing reliance, consumer' attention is drawn to online platforms, which may harm societal…

Abstract

Purpose

Smartphones have become a vital element of daily life and because of this ongoing reliance, consumer' attention is drawn to online platforms, which may harm societal communications. Therefore, this paper investigates a behavioral addiction known as “fear of missing out” (FoMO), which causes anxiety and leads to more problematic smartphone usage and phubbing behavior (PB). In addition, this paper examines the multidimensional perspective of smartphone addiction (SMA) and the moderating role of Big 5 personality types in the aforesaid relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire was administered, to collect data from 468 smartphone users from universities across India. Partial least squares structural equation modeling and Hayes' PROCESS macros were employed as statistical tools for analysis.

Findings

Results highlight that there is a significant association between FoMO and PB with SMA as a significant mediator with partial mediation effect.

Originality/value

Conscientiousness, neuroticism and extroversion were found to be significant moderators in the model. Further, the findings raise awareness regarding smartphone etiquette and additional technology literacy required in this field.

Details

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7122

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 December 2023

Ugochukwu Titus Ugwu

Cannabis as a recreational drug is prohibited in Nigeria. Consequently, the open use of cannabis attracts both formal and informal sanctions. As such, there is much stigma on…

Abstract

Purpose

Cannabis as a recreational drug is prohibited in Nigeria. Consequently, the open use of cannabis attracts both formal and informal sanctions. As such, there is much stigma on users' faces across social spaces. This has led to innovations in drug use. Recently, non-medical use of tramadol has been rising across each of the gender categories. This study aims to understand (1) tramadol use prompts, (2) the sudden surge in gendered recreational use of tramadol and (3) the gendered challenges of recreational tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected between December 2021 and October 2022. The researcher conducted 20 semi-structured interviews, with participants chosen purposefully from acquaintances and others selected through chain referral. The selection criteria included knowledge of a particular tramadol tablet and willingness to participate. This study got ethical approval from the Anambra State Ministry of Health (Ref: MH/AWK/M/321/354) and oral consent was obtained before the interviews. The participants were assured of confidentiality. The interviews were conducted in English (the formal Nigerian language) and lasted between 30 and 65 min. The data collected were transcribed and coded manually, and themes generated.

Findings

Findings suggest that peer pressures accounted for entry-level drug use. However, cannabis-related stigma is attributed to the surge in tramadol use across gender categories. Furthermore, academic pressure and sexuality are major reasons for tramadol use. The challenges associated with tramadol use include headaches and addiction.

Originality/value

This study, to the best of the author’s knowledge, presents alternative data on the surge in tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

Details

Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2632-279X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2024

Jack Hassell, Joana Kuntz and Sarah Wright

While worker well-being is increasingly recognised as a performance driver and marker of socially responsible organisations, workaholism is ubiquitous and remains poorly…

Abstract

Purpose

While worker well-being is increasingly recognised as a performance driver and marker of socially responsible organisations, workaholism is ubiquitous and remains poorly understood. This study aims to uncover workaholism precursors, dynamics and trajectories, and explains how organisations can manage its emergence and impact.

Design/methodology/approach

Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of self-identified workaholics in New Zealand and analysed through interpretivist phenomenological analysis.

Findings

This study contributes to the workaholism literature by elucidating how the work–identity link is formed and maintained, the psychophysiological experiences and worldviews of workaholics and the role families, organisations and culture play in workaholism. The findings also elucidate the relationship between workaholism, work addiction and engagement.

Practical implications

The authors outline how leaders and organisations can detect and manage workaholism risk factors and understand its trajectories to develop healthy workplaces.

Originality/value

The retrospective experiential accounts obtained from a diverse sample of workaholics enabled the identification of workaholism precursors, including some previously undetected in the literature, their complex interrelations with environmental factors and workaholism trajectories.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2023

Suhans Bansal, Naval Garg and Jagvinder Singh

Cyberbullying has become one of the reasons behind the increase in psychological and medical problems. A need to prevent recurrences of cyberbullying incidents and discourage…

Abstract

Purpose

Cyberbullying has become one of the reasons behind the increase in psychological and medical problems. A need to prevent recurrences of cyberbullying incidents and discourage bullies from further bullying the victims has risen. This problem has attracted the attention of all stakeholders across the globe. Various researchers have developed theories and interventions to detect and stop bullying behavior. Previously, researchers focused on helping victims, but as the times have changed, so has the focus of researchers. This study aims to analyze scientific research articles and review papers to understand the development of the knowledge base on the topic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes the performance of literature on cyberbullying perpetration (CBP) using the widely accepted bibliometric analysis techniques: performance analysis and science mapping. The study is based on a dataset extracted from the Web of Science database. Initially, 2,792 articles between 2007 and 2022 were retrieved, which were filtered down to 441. The filter was based on various criteria, but primarily on CBP. VOSViewer and MS Excel were used to analyze the data. In addition, VOSViewer was used to create “bibliometric citations, co-citations, and co-word maps.”

Findings

The findings include publication and citation quantum and trends, the top 20 active countries, the most significant research articles and leading journals in this domain. Major themes or clusters identified were “Cyberbullying and victim behavior,” bullying behavior, adolescents and intervention, “cyberbullying associations,” and “cyberbullying personality associations.”

Originality/value

The study is unique because it analyses research articles based on cyberbullies, whereas past studies explored only the victims' side. Further, the present study used the Web of Science database, whereas most studies use the Scopus database.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 June 2023

Céline Dujardin, Vitalii Klymchuk and Viktoriia Gorbunova

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perception of the mental health problems of the homeless population in a high-income country (Luxembourg) by social service providers…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perception of the mental health problems of the homeless population in a high-income country (Luxembourg) by social service providers and to develop proposals for better inclusion of homeless people into the mental health services and homeless people with mental health issues into society.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was of qualitative design and conducted using a semi-structured interview method (in person). The semi-structured interviews (seven participants) were conducted to analyse the challenges, practice approaches and prospects of stakeholders or decision-makers working in housing exclusion and homelessness. A secondary thematic analysis of this content regarding mental health issues was performed.

Findings

Three main themes in the social providers’ perception were identified related to mental health and homelessness: the general view on the mental health problems of homeless people (accent on substance use disorders [SUDs], overshadowing of other mental health conditions by the SUDs); the positive impact of housing and social services on the mental health of the homeless per se (role of social rhythms, social connectedness and multidisciplinary approach are emphasised); and the need for improvement of mental health services in the country (need for the long-term timely continuing mental health support and recognition of the importance of complex intersectional and multidisciplinary solutions).

Research limitations/implications

Mental health themes were not the primary focus while research was planned and conducted. They were revealed as results of secondary qualitative data analysis. Therefore, additional mental health-focused mixed methods research is needed to verify the conclusions. The paper is written on the results of the research project “Social Housing and Homelessness” (SOHOME), implemented at the University of Luxembourg with the financial support of the Fonds National de la Recherche of Luxembourg (FNR12626464). The sponsor had no involvement in the study design, the collection, analysis and interpretation of data or the preparation of the paper.

Practical implications

The study brings together different perspectives from social workers, stakeholders and decision-makers. The results show that there are cross-field connections between homelessness and mental health that require specialised and coordinated services. The first existing approaches seem to be promising in their continuation but need to be promoted by social policy.

Social implications

To promote social cohesion in the Luxembourgish society and also to include one of the most vulnerable people, the study points to the importance of the link between homelessness and compromised mental health. Appropriate support and service provision as well as social and affordable housing play a central role.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind, revealing several social work stakeholders’ perspective on the mental health of homeless people in Luxembourg.

Details

Mental Health and Social Inclusion, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-8308

Keywords

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